The Boy in the Attic
by Mallory Monroe
Summary: Edward Cullen has a rare genetic disease- he is allergic to sunlight. Since he was a child, he has been unable to venture out into the sun. He is confined to a world of darkness and despair, but one girl brings him light.
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note**: In this story, all characters are human. It is mainly Bella/Edward, but may contain other pairings._

_Thank you for reading, and if you like it, please, please review!_

Also, check out my other two fics, Pulse (complete- Nessie/Jacob) and The Island (WIP- all canon pairings)

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"They're vampires." sneered the boy, unperturbed by the soft but steady rain that was matting his black hair to his head. The sky was almost pitch black with heavy rain clouds, the sun lost somewhere in all the slate gray. The little girl peered up from under her umbrella to see what her friend was talking about. They were passing a large house on their way home from school, and in the window of the attic she glimpsed a pale face with golden eyes. The face quickly disappeared, but she didn't look away, hoping that the face of the little boy would return.

The house they stood before was beautiful, but people rarely ventured near it for some reason. It was set apart from the others, with a large, shady yard. The house was made of stone and had an ethereal quality to it, as if it had been pulled from the pages of a fairytale.

The little girl finally looked away from the window, which remained disappointingly empty. "Vampires?" she echoed, looking at her companion. He led her away, but she looked over her shoulder at the house. For just an instant, she thought she saw a flash of the pale face looking curiously back at her, but just as quickly it was gone.

"The Cullens." said the little boy, splashing his foot in a puddle. "They don't ever come outside, except for the parents. The kids all stay in the house. I heard that they sleep in coffins and drink blood!"

Instead of being disgusted, the little girl only softly smiled, thinking of the face. Vampires? Could there really be vampires? She wondered silently, twirling the umbrella in her hands absentmindedly. Her large brown eyes were wistful and unfocused. As she strode forward, the toe of her mary-janes caught on a crack in the sidewalk and she stumbled, falling to her knees. The umbrella flew from her hands and the rain poured softly down on her as tears welled up in her eyes that she refused to let overflow. The little boy was quick to help her up, apparently used to such behavior.

"Look where you're going Bella." he chided impatiently, holding the umbrella over her head for her while she gingerly dusted off her hands and knees. There was a fresh scrape on her elbow from the stumble, but it blended in with the others. There were already scratches on her hands and knees from recess that day, a few yellowing bruises from stumbling last week, and an angry red welt on her shin from running into the coffee table the day before.

The little girl took the umbrella back and they continued walking. "I'm tired of how much reading we have to do!" complained the black-haired boy, apparently no longer thinking about the boy in the attic or the girl's fall. His mind was on the recently assigned book report from their elementary school teacher. For a moment Bella didn't know what to make of his statement. She was still thinking about the boy she had seen, wondering why he didn't go to school with them. She had to think about her friend's statement for a moment before it made sense.

"Oh?" she said, somewhat disinterested. She shrugged. "I like to read."

A loud clap of thunder made them both jump, and the little girl's deep brown eyes widened in fear at the crash of bright lightning that illuminated the sky for a moment.

"Jacob, I'm scared!" she whimpered in distress, closing in on herself physically, drawing her arms in tight around her body, huddling beneath the umbrella clasped tightly in her small, pale hand. She hated to admit weakness, preferred to put on a strong face for the world that belied the insecurities she felt within, but lightning petrified the child. The little boy had no fear of lightning- in fact, he seemed to enjoy the weather. For Jacob, the storm was just another adventure, and Bella was his favorite damsel in distress. He reached out and grabbed Bella's empty hand, tugging her forward.

"Come on," he urged. "We're almost to your house!"They ran down the dark street as the rain began to pour harder. The little girl slipped and slid, but somehow managed to stay upright. Fear and adrenaline leant her an unnatural sense of speed she did not normally possess, and they quickly ducked under the porch of her house at the end of the street. She dropped the umbrella, doubling over with her hands on her boney knees as she caught her breath, eyes still wide and heart pounding. The boy looked out and up at the black sky, watching with fascination the lightning in the distance through the dark sheet of rain that fell all around them.

Chief Swan opened the door, looking down at his daughter and her friend. The two children slipped off their wet shoes and he ushered them in out of the weather and into the warmly illuminated house.

"You better stay here for a while, Jacob." said Bella's father. "I'll call Billy and tell him to pick you up later."

Jacob nodded, and when he did, water fell from his long black hair like a dog shaking water from it's coat. Charlie sighed but said nothing, walking back to the living room, where the sound of a baseball game drifted in. Bella was still cowering a little, her arms wrapped around her frail body as if she could shield herself from her fears in such a way. Jacob passed her and started for the stairs, as comfortable in her house as she was.

"C'mon, I wanna play." he said, stomping up to her room. His heavy footfalls on the creaky wooden floorboards didn't seem to match the slightness of his child's frame. Bella reluctantly followed, her own steps much quieter, almost cautious in nature. When she got upstairs, Jacob had upended her box of toys onto the floor and was rooting through them. She went and sat on the bed, not interested in playing. She reached over and pulled shut the curtains over the window, trying to block out the flashes of lightning that turned their faces to silver in flickering bursts. Another loud rumble of thunder shook her and she quivered, melting down to a petrified heap on the bed and covering her head with a pillow. She drew her knees up to her chin, lying defenselessly in the fetal position. After a moment she felt the bed shift with added weight, and she felt a warm hand on her back, patting her comfortingly. She could remember a time when he mother had patted her back like that and felt slightly more soothed. She closed her eyes tighter, trying to be brave. The thunder seemed to subside a little and she peered up from under the edge of her pillow at the black haired boy.

"Don't be afraid, Bella," said the boy, a confident smile on his face. "I'll protect you from everything."

Bella sat up, her skinny legs disentangling and then falling over the side of the bed, and he pulled her into a tight hug, which she weakly allowed. At school he wouldn't hug her or talk to her much. She was a girl, and he didn't want his friends to see him hanging out with girls. He didn't want to seem like a sissy. But away from school, Bella was his best friend, and she had been for years.

"Everything?" she repeated, breathing in the scent of his damp, long hair. He smells like a wet dog, she thought with a tiny smile. But in a way it was also comforting. She felt Jacob nod and pressed her cheek against his bony shoulder.

"Even vampires." he promised.

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**_Please review! _**


	2. The Illness

**_Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, and I truly appreciate all of the kind words and encouragement. If there is a good enough following, I'm going to continue on with this story along with 'The Island'. _**

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"Why don't you come outside, you big baby? You scaaaared?"

Four thirteen-year-old boys stood outside the large, stone, fairytale house, calling out cruel taunts to the boy inside. Their winter boots left careless, ugly cuts in the fresh white snow like crumbs in a pristine glass of milk. It was cold outside, turning their cheeks and noses pink, and the muted gray sky cast a silver sheen over everything. The boys' voices carried well, but the boy inside never showed himself. The attic window remained empty.

"He can't come outside," said one of the boys, a sneer in his voice. "He's like, a vampire or something."

The others nodded. They had seen the ghostly white skin, the unnatural gold eyes. He wouldn't come outside, he didn't go to school with the rest of them, and he seemed to shun the outside world at all costs. For the four thirteen year olds, this was more than enough evidence that the boy in the attic was a freak. And freaks had to be dealt with.

"This is stupid," said one boy, scooping his hand down to pick up a rock. "Let's _make _him come out."

Coming up the street was a twelve-year-old girl, awkward and gangly, her arms heavy with books from the library she had just come from. Her long brown hair was tied into two long braids that hung down her back, and unusually deep brown eyes shined out from a remarkably pale face. She was in the uncomfortable stage between child and young woman- her face had begun to shed some of it's baby fat, but this only drew more attention to the braces on her teeth. She had just gone through a growth spurt, and she looked even bonier than usual. Knobby knees and spindly legs made her feel thoroughly uncomfortable in her skin.

She heard the voices of the boys- boys she knew from school- and looked up curiously to see what they were shouting about. A feeling of anger welled in her stomach when she caught the tone of their words. They were taunting the strange boy she had only ever caught glimpses of. Their unprovoked hatred left a bad taste in the girl's mouth, and she quickly strode over to them.

As she did, one boy let the rock in his hand fly. She watched it, as if in slow motion, as it arced gracefully through the cold, gray air and shattered the attic window with a resounding smash.

"Stop it!" she yelled, the books falling free from her arms and scattering in the snow around her. She ran at the boy who had thrown the rock, lost her balance, and fell into him, sending them both into the snow where their limbs became tangled. She shoved his shoulder angrily, a disgusted look on her face as she sat up. "You're unbelievable, Mike. Why do you have to be such a jerk?"

As she got up she dusted the snow off of her pants and she looked up at the window. It was empty. She hoped that the boy hadn't been in the attic at all, but she had a feeling that he had been there all along, hiding from the kids that so blindly hated him.

Her books were in the snow, some of them laying open, getting damaged. She hurriedly picked them up, scowling at Mike and the others with the haughty air of someone much older than twelve years old. "Leave him alone." she said angrily, her brown eyes flashing. "He's never done anything to you."

Mike had a small smile on his face, and he walked over to Bella, standing closer than she liked. "We're protecting you." he said stubbornly. "That boy's not normal."

"He's a vampire!" chimed Eric Yorkie.

Bella looked at them all in disbelief. "Don't be stupid," she told them with a scowl. "He's not a vampire! He's just like us!"

"Then why won't he come outside?" countered Eric, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why doesn't he go to school?"

Bella faltered, unsure. "I- I don't know." she said weakly, and then her cocoa colored eyes flashed as she mumbled angrily. "But I wouldn't want to come out to see you jerks either."

"Come on, Bella. I'll walk you home." said Mike, throwing his arm casually over her shoulders. She shrugged him off, irritation written all over her face.

"Get away from me." she said venomously, a contradictorily hard look on her soft face.

The boys rolled their eyes- their game had ended and the fun was over. They needed to leave before someone called the cops for them breaking a window. "Suit yourself." said Mike with a shrug. They turned and left Bella, walking in the direction she had come from. Bella looked up at the shattered window, trying to see into the attic, but it was too dark and she couldn't make anything out.

On the sidewalk, near the steps leading up to the door, was her final book. She looked at it, unsure, afraid to venture so close to the house that everyone seemed to avoid. On the other hand, the thought of leaving her book to get damaged and lost was an overwhelming loss. She gulped, shuffling the books in her arms, and steeled her resolve with one final look at the window.

No one was around, she assured herself. No one was going to see her if she walked up to the house. Besides, it wasn't as if she was doing anything wrong! She was only picking up a book. But, she thought warily, still frozen in place as if the soles of her shoes were glued to the icy pavement, what if someone saw her and saw the shattered window and thought she was responsible?I'll just be quick, she told herself, and hurried toward the steps that led to the front door of the fairytale house. The sidewalks were icy and treacherous, already a hazard for the well coordinated. Bella Swan was no match for such conditions. Yet, she somehow reached her fallen book in one piece, swooped to retrieve it, and put it snugly in her arms with the others. She glanced anxiously at the front door, making sure no one had seen her, and tip toed away, preparing herself to hear at any moment the piercing wail of police sirens intent on wrongfully arresting her for the broken window.

But none came, and she got safely to the end of the sidewalk without any mishap or persecution. She had done it, she thought, looking guiltily at all the glittering, broken glass lying in the snow far below the window. She had gotten away, just like awful Mike Newton and his horrible friends.

A siren rang loud and clear down the street, it's wail echoing off the pristine houses and melting snow. Bella's heart nearly stopped in shock and she jolted, losing her balance. One foot moved too far behind her on the slick, melting ice while the other slid too far forward, and her arms wind milled, grasping at thin air for something to hang onto. She found nothing and spiraled down toward the asphalt, landing exactly right and slicing her knee open on a jagged edge of sidewalk. Her crimson blood swelled from the new gash and overflowed in tiny, sparkling droplets on the snow. Her warm blood on the crisp, white powdery substance looked like an impressionist painting, and as she looked at her own blood she began to feel a little dizzy. The police cruiser raced down the street, straight past her, and she realized with humiliation that of course it hadn't been meant for her.

Up the sidewalk, the door of the fairytale house creaked open. It was dark inside, and Bella couldn't see who stood in the doorway. For a moment nothing happened, but she had the feeling the person in the doorway was looking at her, and then a woman hurried outside.

Bella had never seen anyone so beautiful in all her life. The woman who rushed toward her, a look of concern on her pale, lovely face, looked like some sort of kind queen in a modern era. She perfectly fit with the fairytale house, or at least that was how it seemed to Bella in her haze.

She woman's honey-brown hair flowed smoothly over flawless, ivory skin and hung in perfect, soft curls around her slim shoulders. Her lips and cheeks were flushed a healthy pink, and a pair of familiar golden eyes showed utmost concern. Bella had only ever seen one other pair of golden eyes, and she thought instantly of the boy in the attic that the others had taunted.

Who was this woman? Who was this woman with her ephemeral beauty and golden eyes and overwhelming compassion? Bella had surely never seen her before- a woman like this one stood out in a crowd. She radiated grace and kindness in a timeless manner, and it wasn't until the woman was swooping her into her arms that Bella even realized the woman was old enough to be her mother.

"Are you alright?" asked the kind woman- the good queen in the fairytale. Bella nodded her head vaguely, not truly comprehending. She could feel the world moving underneath her and realized she was being carried. Her arms tightened around the woman's neck for fear of falling, and the honey-haired woman smiled softly in response.

Bella was caught completely off guard when the bright world around her changed to one of darkness. The door of the house shut behind her and the natural light was instantly cut off. It took a moment for Bella's eyes to adjust, even though several lamps were on.

She was taken to a cozy kitchen and placed in a chair at a round table near a draperied window. The drapes were drawn shut, and on the table a candle flickered in a jar.

"What happened, honey?" asked the woman, kneeling before the girl and inspecting the gash on her knee. It was already starting to clot and blood had ceased to flow so freely.

"I- I fell." Bella answered weakly, looking all around her at the beautiful interior of the home. Her eyes were still adjusting to the change in light though, and she couldn't see much beyond the kitchen.

"Well, I'm not the doctor in the family," said the woman with a kind smile. "But I think you'll be okay." Her smile widened. "Why don't I get you a band-aid and a cookie?"

Bella nodded with a sniffly smile, her brown braids bouncing as her head bobbed. The woman stood and strode away toward the cabinets. The girl watched curiously, but a wide pair of dark eyes caught her attention in the hall.

A girl a little younger than her was standing in the hall, peering back curiously with her head cocked to the side. She hugged the wall, chewing on her lip as if she was unsure, and then bounced into the room, her shaggy black hair bouncing around a milky white face.

"I'm Alice." she said, skipping to a halt before Bella, a wide smile on her lips. Her high-pitched, tinkling voice made her seem even younger than she was, and she was quite petite. Bella had a hard time deciding how old the strange, dark eyed girl was.

"I'm Bella." she replied tentatively, offering a weak smile. She caught Alice looking at her bloody knee and looked embarrassed. "I fell outside your house." she explained.

Alice leaned in closer to inspect the wound, squinting her wide, opulent eyes. The darkness made it almost impossible to see, thought Bella, and she leaned over to grasp the edge of the curtains.

"Here," she said, drawing back the drapes. The bright winter sunlight poured into the kitchen, illuminating both girls. Alice looked up in shock and covered her head with her arms, screaming as if in pain. Bella stared at her in scared bewilderment, wandering what was happening.

Alice's screaming continued and she writhed. Her cries were loud and clear and heartbreaking, and the golden-eyed woman immediately turned from her task and swooped the tiny black-haired child into her arms, quickly closing the curtains and instilling darkness in the house once more.

"Shh, shh," she cooed, rocking Alice back and forth in her arms, stroking her dark hair. "You're okay, you're okay."Alice's wailing subsided to soft whimpers and the woman kissed her temple, setting her back down. Bella looked at her closely, trying to ascertain the cause of her sudden distress, but she looked fine. Alice wiped one hand across her tear streaked face and sniffed, glancing at Bella, then fled. Bella looked after her in confusion.

The woman sighed, rubbing her temples tiredly, then gave a soft, apologetic smile to her guest. She took a seat in the chair across from Bella at the table and hung her head.

"Perhaps I should explain." she said, and looked unbelievably sad. Bella wanted to comfort her in some way, to tell her it was really alright, to put her hand on top of the woman's, but they were practically strangers, and Bella couldn't even summon the courage to open her mouth.

"My son suffers from a very rare, very severe genetic disorder. The disease was submissive in both my husband and I, but it is dominant in my Edward. He has a disease known as xeroderma pigmentosum. In short, he is allergic to sunlight. He cannot go outside, he cannot stand in the sun, he can never be exposed to daylight. If he were to go outside into the light, his skin would burn and blister in moments and he could go into a coma. He has to be very careful."

This explained why he didn't go to school, thought Bella, nodding her head in understanding. It also explained why she only saw him on very dark, overcast days when the sun was blocked behind clouds, peering out at the world from the window in the attic. "And Alice has…" She couldn't pronounce it. "this disease… too?" Bella asked, frowning. The mother looked down at the folded hands in her lap, a sad expression marring her beautiful face.

"No, she does not. But Alice and Edward are twins, and Alice has always stayed with Edward. She has seen the pain it causes him if the sun touches him, and she is terrified of sunlight too. But Alice is normal. She could go outside and play anytime she wants, it's the irrational fear, and loyalty to her brother too, that keeps her inside."

The brown haired girl could not understand this. It added a whole other level to the mystery of this strange family. She fidgeted uneasily, suddenly feeling as though she was intruding on their lives. She felt like she had no right to be there at all, felt guilty that they shared their secrets while she shared nothing. She was taking, but giving nothing back.

Any other person her age in the small town of Forks would have been worrying and fidgeting for completely different reasons. They would worry their friends would taunt and tease them for going into the vampire house, would question and harass them for answers, but that wasn't Bella's worry. She just felt sad for the family, sad that two people her age would never go out into the sun, especially Alice, who _could._

But Edward…. Edward could not. She felt as if a weight had fallen over her as she imagined such a life, a life of confinement and ostracism. She felt the deepest sense of empathy for the painfully beautiful boy with the flawlessly pale face and the glowing golden eyes. How horrible for him, she thought, and she wished that there was some way she could help.

"I should get back home," said Bella abruptly, standing from her chair. She winced as the gash on her knee stretched, then collected her books from the table. The woman's golden eyes widened a little and she nodded, also standing.

"I'll walk you to the door." she said, giving a sad sort of smile that Bella could see clearly now that her eyes had adjusted. It's not so dark in here, she realized. It only seemed that way after coming in from outside. She timidly walked toward the door, feeling the woman walking behind her. When she got to the door, the mother reached out and opened it.

"What's your name?" asked the woman, and her gold eyes looked ephemeral in the sunlight. Bella felt momentarily entranced and had to look away.

"Bella." she mumbled, and the woman smiled, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I'm Esme. And you can come over anytime you like, you don't have to be afraid. I'm sure Alice and Edward would love to have a child to play with."

Bella mumbled something non-committal and hurried out. She started rapidly walking down the sidewalk and turned to look over her shoulder at the attic window, which was as disappointingly empty as she had expected it to be. But there, littered among the broken, glittering glass and the white snow under the window was something red, sticking out like a beacon.

Bella hurried over to see what it was and picked the thing up. It was a folded piece of red paper, and on the inside was a note in very neat, beautiful cursive.

All it said was _'Thank you'._

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**_Sorry if this chapter seemed a little slow. The next one will start to pick the story up, but I wanted to establish the story line without rushing it. Thanks to everyone for sticking in and having patience! I promise, this _is _a romance!_**

**_Also, if you liked what you read, it would mean the world to me if you reviewed :-)_**


	3. The Opening

_**Author's Note: **__Hi everyone, sorry about how long it took for me to update. This week I moved, so things have been kind of hectic. Also, this is the second version of chapter 3 that I wrote. The two versions are very, very different and could have pulled the story into different directions, but I think this is the better of the two. In my opinion, this is when the story really starts to take off. Hopefully this chapter will make up for the long wait!_

**Chapter: The Opening**

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Isabella Swan had grown from a quiet, precocious twelve year old child into a quiet, precocious seventeen year old young woman. Braces had been removed, pig tails were let down, her face lost it's childish baby fat, and her long, thin body filled out ever so slightly. Still, she thought, walking one day next to Jessica Stanley. Beside a girl like Jessica, with her tiny waist, womanly hips and large (although perhaps slightly padded) breasts, she still looked somewhat like a twelve year old boy.

And while her friends went on to become more interested in shopping, makeup, and the opposite sex, none of those things really ever mattered all that much to her. She was shocked beyond belief one day when Lauren confronted her and accused her of being a lesbian. Bella spluttered, her cheeks red, and shook her head. No, she wasn't interested in girls, she told them in all seriousness. She just wasn't interested in boys, either. She was an anomaly of a seventeen year old girl.

After school on most days she still met up with Jacob. He, unlike her, was _very _interested in the opposite sex. On and on he'd rant about so-an-so's legs or someone-or-other's boobs, or how he'd almost gotten to third base with _that one chick. _Bella would fix a mask of interest on her face while he rambled on, but really she wasn't listening. Secretly she was wondering why she had never had these sorts of feelings. Was something wrong with her? More likely, she conceded, there was something wrong with the male population of Forks. How could any of the other girls be attracted to the likes of Eric Yorkie and Mike Newton?

There wasn't a single person in school that she found interesting enough to like in that way, and she didn't really find any of them to be attractive, either. And that was completely and utterly true until two siblings transferred to her high school.

The Hales looked as if they had been torn from the pages of a fashion magazine. The girl, Rosalie, had a haughty air about her. She seemed to thrive on the attention people paid her, but she was as disinterested as Bella in returning their feelings. Her brother, a tall and startlingly handsome blonde named Jasper, had yet to say a word to anyone. He followed Rosalie with a distant look on his face, as if he was looking for something that had yet to be found. Whatever it was he was searching for, Bella doubted very much that he'd find it at Forks High.

As Rosalie and Jasper became the talk of the small town, people forgot about Bella's little problem with dating. Jessica had made her the painful target of attention by repeatedly offering to set her up on her 'first date ever', as her friend had repeated so often. The brunette wondered secretly if her friend was really a friend at all, or was perhaps only using her to make herself look better in comparison. It certainly wasn't a far fetched idea.

School ended and Bella couldn't have been more relieved. She climbed into her rusted, ancient car and listened as it spluttered to life in a dismal manner. It always seemed to be on the verge of giving up and going to truck heaven, but never did. It was old reliable, in a way. She drove home, annoying everyone else by driving forty the whole way. At fifty miles per hour, her truck had a tendency to smoke and shake, she had discovered. It was best on not to push the rusty beast.

She walked down the small sidewalk to her house and opened the front door. Charlie wasn't home yet- his cruiser wasn't in the driveway, and he probably wouldn't be in until dark. Bella threw her bag down on the couch and walked into the kitchen . On the refrigerator, under a magnet, was a note from Charlie. She pulled it out and grabbed the carton of orange juice from the fridge. She took a swig and then started reading it.

_Bella,_

_I'm working the night shift tonight. I won't be home until morning. Sorry about the late notice. In the drawer is twenty dollars to order a pizza. Just lock the doors and be safe._

_Dad_

Her dark brown eyes scanned the note and she sighed, setting down the orange juice morosely. Another night alone, she mused, looking up at the ceiling. Another night of nothing to do, no friends to see. This was the time in her life she ought to be having fun, she thought. She was seventeen, and every other seventeen year old in Forks was going to be having fun because it was Friday night.

Sadly, she didn't even know what people her age _did_ on Friday nights. She always stayed in with Charlie, watching television or reading, eating dinner at home. If only she had a friend that knew how to have fun!She picked up the phone as a realization hit her, and then dialed the numbers she knew by heart. The phone rang four times and then picked up, a deep, masculine voice on the other side.

"Hello?"

"Jacob, it's Bella."

She could hear jostling, could practically hear the smile in his voice.

"Bella, what's up?"

She bit her lip. "What are you doing tonight? I need to get out of the house."

There was a pause and then a sigh. "I'm sorry, Bells. I already told Leah I'd pick her up at seven."

Bella frowned. "Leah? Leah Clearwater?" she asked. She heard Jacob chuckle.

"Yeah, Leah Clearwater."

"But you guys hate each other!" she exclaimed.

"Nah, she's not so bad once you get to know her. I mean, sure, she's difficult, but have you seen her body? She's stacked!"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Hanging up now, Jacob."

"Hold on, hold on." he said hurriedly, and she lifted the phone back to her ear. "Are you going to stay in alone all night and mope?"

Bella felt mildly offended. "No!" she denied indignantly, but it was no use. "Maybe…"

"Why don't you come with me and Leah? We can all hang out together if you want."

"No, no. You have fun on your date. I'd just get in the way." she said, trying to keep the sadness from her voice. She could tell that Jacob was mentally debating whether he should try to convince her to go with them or not. He didn't want her to be there on his date, he was just being nice because Jacob was a nice guy. But she didn't want to be a third wheel.

"You sure?" he asked. Bella nodded, even though he couldn't see the gesture.

"Yeah. Go take a shower. I don't want Leah to have to hang out with a guy who smells like a wet dog."

"Hey!" he said. "I don't smell like a wet dog! That's just the smell of a real man, Bells."

She laughed and they said their goodbyes, and after hanging up the phone she collapsed onto the sofa. So much for that plan, she thought, staring up at the popcorn ceiling. But she wanted to get out of the house more than ever. It just wasn't in her cards, she told herself, and flicked on the television.

"Gladstone bookstore, located in Port Angeles. Come join us for our grand opening!" blared the television as a commercial depicting the new store and people reading played, and she considered carefully. Port Angeles… That was a possibility, she supposed. And she _did _have twenty dollars thanks to Charlie. At least if she went into town for a book, she wouldn't be completely out of her comfort zone. Books were her bread and butter.

"Charlie only said to lock the door and be safe." she said to the empty house. "He never said I had to be _in _the house."

She made up her mind and slipped her shoes back onto her feet, grabbing the twenty dollar bill from the drawer and shoving it in the pocket of her jeans, and then flew out the door, careful to lock it behind her. After all, Charlie _had _asked her to. She didn't want to disobey his rules.

The air outside was foggy and a light mist fell from the swirling grey sky, causing little beads of moisture to gather on her dark hair like a fairy's veil. She pulled her light jacket a little tighter against her to ward against the chill, then got into her car and cranked up the heat. She turned on the radio and sighed in mild aggravation as the sound quality came out fuzzy. She flipped off the radio and decided to just use the hour long drive to gather her thoughts.

The truck started with a worrying whine and she pulled out of the driveway, slowly gathering speed. She meticulously followed all traffic laws and kept her hands firmly on ten and two on the steering wheel. It would do no good to get pulled over while she was sneaking out of the house.

As she drove, the sun began to set in front of her. Behind all the gray clouds the sun looked watery and blurry, and the whole sky looked like a water painting. When she finally arrived at Port Angeles, the sun was a violet sliver on the horizon. She found the new book store but the parking lot was already filled thanks to the grand opening. There was not a single space to put her truck. She drove around for a while, trying to find a spot, and finally had to settle on a space in an ally a few blocks down. She considered as she walked that perhaps she ought to just give up and go home. Nothing better to do though, she thought to herself, and trudged in with the air of a woman about to he hanged.

The bookstore was a new and modern design, all hard angles and glass and steel. It was over filled with yuppies sipping chai lattes and teenagers talking on their cell phones. No one really seemed that interested in the books. Bella found a fairly quiet section in the back and browsed until she could no longer stand all the noise. She then made a beeline for the door.

It was dark outside, and colder, too. She took a deep breath and stuck her hands deep in her pockets, then started off down the sidewalk toward the ally that housed her car at a brisk walking pace. She carefully stayed in the weak, yellow light cast from the street lamps. She was in a bad part of town, and she was a teenage girl by herself. She was a prime target for any number of crimes, and she didn't feel like getting mugged or worse.

A block away from the ally that had her car, she began to feel like she was being followed, but when she turned around there was no one there. She could feel eyes on her back and shrank into herself a little, wishing that she could just disappear. No one's following me, she tried to convince herself, but she couldn't shake the feeling. Then she heard a laugh, then a chorus of laughs. She spun around and found herself face to face with a scruffy man who smelled like cheap beer and stale cigarettes. She quickly backed up until she felt resistance against her. She whirled and was met with another man, and this one smelled even worse, like piss and pot.

"Hey baby," said the one that smelled like he had wet himself. "What'cha doin' out here by yourself, eh?"

"Yeah," echoed the one with a fondness for alcohol. His hand touched her arm and she savagely yanked it away. He chuckled, enjoying the resistance she put up. "Why don't you let us keep you company?"

Bella darted out from between them, breaking into a run. She was met at the corner by a third man, and this one didn't say anything, but when he smiled darkly at her his teeth were blackened and some were missing. A single gold tooth glinted in the weak light. Bella swallowed hard, trying to think. What was it Charlie had told her to do in this situation?

One of the other two men picked up a rock, and she didn't understand why at first. Oh God, she thought. Were they going to beat her to death with that thing? She could picture her face, a bloody pulp, getting beaten in even more with that rock. But the man threw it with expert aim, and it hit the light bulb in the street lamp. The light burst and flickered out, and Bella and the three men were left in a pocket of almost total darkness. She had no idea where she was anymore, but there weren't any people around. It looked like she had wondered into some sort of warehouse district, but it was deserted at this time of night.

"Here, pretty, pretty, pretty!" called one of the men behind her, as if he was calling his favorite cat. A shiver of chill and dead fear ran through her body. "We don't wanna hurt you, sweet heart." he said, and paused. "Well, maybe just a little."

At that Bella bolted. She had nowhere to run except into the arms of one of the three men, but she had to try to get past them. She darted toward the man with the gold tooth, hoping to side step him at the last minute. Her long legs carried her with speed enhanced by adrenaline-pumped fear, and the man held his arms out for her. She turned quickly to the side and he didn't see it coming. She slipped right past him.

Rough arms grabbed her from behind and pulled her back. A sadistic smile was on the man's face, and she could hear the other two approaching.

"Let me go!" she screamed, squirming in his arms, but it was a useless battle. He was far stronger than her. He covered her mouth with his hand to muffle her screams and she bit down on his hand till she tasted coppery blood in her mouth. He cried out a gurgled protest and dropped her to the ground where her elbows and knees scraped against the cement.

"You little bitch!" he yelled at her, glittering black eyes filled with rage and drunken lust. Her fight had done nothing to calm his primal urges for her. He grabbed her long hair and yanked her up to her feet, and she cried out in pain as it felt like the hair would be ripped out of her scalp. Tears blurred her vision and she felt her lip tremble, betraying her. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, she chanted internally. She didn't want to give them the satisfaction. She was blinded by the hot tears she tried to blink back, she could only see the blurry outline of the gold toothed man, and she could hear the pounding feet of one of the other men running over. She tried to make her mind go blank. She didn't want to think about what they were going to do to her.

I should have stayed home, I should have listened to Charlie, I should have brought that bear mace, her mind screamed, but on the outside she was silent save for the muffled hiccups of fear that emanated from her heaving chest. And then she heard a sharp crack and the hand grasping her hair let go and she fell to the ground in a puddle of weakness, her limbs too weak to support herself.

"Get up!" hissed a voice, and she couldn't see, but she got up because there was nothing to be gained by staying on the ground anyway. "C'mon, I can't take the other two at the same time!"

A warm hand grabbed hers and she looked up to see who this person was who was apparently trying to save her. But the light had been broken, and all she could see was shadows and silhouettes. She feared for a moment that this was just another person who would harm her, but she knew for certain the other two men would, so she had to take her chances. Her foot nudged the body of the man who had held her by her hair, and she could just make out that he was passed out, blood gushing from his nose. That crack had been his nose breaking when this new person punched him, she realized.

"Hey, get back here!" called one of the men as their feet pounded the asphalt. Bella struggled to her feet and the hand pulled her forward into the night, never letting go.

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**As always, every review is appreciated. And I'm not saying reviews necessarily make me write any faster, but they definitely don't make me write any slower, you know? **


	4. The Midnight Carnival

**_Author's Note: Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all of the positive reviews. I've got about a month before the Fall semester at University begins, so I'm going to try to get as much writing as possible done. I'm also working on The Island right now, so my attentions are a bit divided. Nevertheless, I shall soldier on, as they say. This story is close to my heart, and all of the wonderful things you guys have had to say have made it a top priority. Now, I'll try not to waste any more of your time with my pointless drabble. On with the story!_**

**The Midnight Carnival**

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The darkness was complete and impenetrable, almost tangible in it's thick, suffocating blackness. Her only guide was the warm, strong hand clasped firmly onto hers, pulling her away from the pounding footsteps that followed and further into the mysterious ally ways of the city ahead. She had no idea where she was, no idea who her savior was, and no idea what was going to happen to her. To her ears, it sounded as if the footsteps were still just as loud. The other two men were keeping up, only ten yards or so behind if she had to make a guess. At the rate that they were going, it was going to be a battle of endurance, and she wasn't sure her wobbly legs would hold out for much longer.

Her heart beat loudly inside her chest, hammering against her ribcage, made worse by every single second that they ran. Her body wasn't used to such strenuous activity, and only adrenaline and fear kept her going. An agonizing pain began to dully ache in her side, and her lungs felt like they were on fire. How far had they run? It didn't seem like they'd been running for long, but she had never pushed herself this hard before. The firm hand holding hers gave her no chance to slow down. She felt that if she stopped, the man holding on to her would not stop and she'd merely be towed along like a kite refusing to fly in the wind that instead bobs fruitlessly against the ground, catching it's sharp corners at every chance.

"I can't… keep… going!" she panted quietly to the man cloaked in darkness. She still hadn't seen his face and had no idea who he was. A part of her worried he might be just as crazed as the ones before that had cornered her in the ally. Maybe more so. But what alternative did she have? She could either trust him or go back to the drunken men who chased her. At least with the one holding her hand she stood a chance.

A sudden jerk pulled her against the cold cement wall of one of the buildings lining the ally, and a warm hand covered her mouth and smothered the cry of surprise that burst from her lips. He'd been so quick, she hadn't had even a split second to prepare for the sensation of suddenly being pressed roughly against the cold exterior wall. Her breath caught in her throat and she didn't think she could have made a sound of protest even if he _wasn't _covering her mouth with his hand. She was frozen in shock, her mind not working fast enough to keep up with all that was happening.

She could feel the man's body against her own and her eyes bulged in fear, her body going tense, getting ready to try and pull away from him. The hand over her mouth was firm and unyielding. His body felt lean and hard and warm beneath the clothing that separated them, and she could feel his steady heartbeat, their proximity was so close. Her worst fears had been right, she realized, a whole new wave of panic setting in. This man didn't mean to help her. He had just wanted to get her alone for god-knows-what. And now that warm, guiding hand was covering any screams she might have made. Even though she couldn't see his face, she felt fear bubbling up in her belly as she imagined oddly menacing features where the shadows obscured his face.

The sound of the pounding footsteps against the asphalt behind them grew louder as the two men approached, and the man covering her mouth got even closer, pushing her further into the shadows. Their bodies pressed tightly together, and she was wedged there, unable to make a move. Her back was to the cold wall and her front was to the warm body of the man in front of her. He was taller than her, and the top of her head only reached the bottom of his chin. She could smell the linen of his shirt, the aroma of his cologne- a sharp contrast from her previous pursuers. This man didn't smell like alcohol or stale smoke, or anything like she thought a criminal would smell. He smelled like the rain in Washington and crisp soap and sandalwood and the way a fresh notebook smells when you first open it. Bella frowned at the irony of it all. She'd have never thought she'd be murdered by a man who smelled like heaven.

The footsteps reached a crescendo as her quiet breathing became shallow with anxiety and fear. They were going to be seen, and she was going to be ruthlessly murdered while suffering a panic attack, she was sure. The two pursuers would surely see them, would discover their ill-concealed hiding place. But the steps got louder and then began to fade away as they kept running, and she realized with a start that her two pursuers had run right past them without even realizing her rescuer and her were tightly pressed together in the murky shadows of a nondescript building. The powerful thudding of her heart evened out ever so slightly, and the hand over her mouth loosened then dropped to the man's side. She could feel him press his forehead to the wall beside her in a moment of relief, and their faces and bodies were very close. His warm, sweet breath tickled the fine hairs along her neck and she shivered in the warm, muggy night. He sighed quietly, his face almost touching her shoulder, and then released her from the confines his body had created. Her body was still tense with anxiety, unsure if the real danger had passed yet. Perhaps this one was the worst of them all- a wolf in sheep's clothing that was taking advantage of her already naïve and gullible nature. Who knew what sorts of perverse things the man pressed intimately against her had in mind.

"Shh," he warned very quietly, and his hand took hers again. He slowly pulled her forward, and it felt as if he was searching the wall for something. Bella's free hand too felt along the cement, but for balance. She couldn't even see her own hand in front of her face in the inky darkness of the night, much less where she was going. He, on the other hand, seemed very comfortable with their surroundings, as if he knew the area well. His hand was roaming the cement wall till he found the handle of an industrial sized door Bella would never have suspected was there, and he gently tugged on it, testing it. To Bella's astonishment, the door quietly opened and music spilled out from within. An amber wash of flickering light illuminated the stained concrete, but she wasn't quick enough to look up into his face. The man pulled her into the building, and she followed, too surprised to raise a protest.

The door shut behind them, and inside the music was deafening. Blue and red lights pulsed in the dark, open building, and she could see innumerable bodies throbbing to the music, dancing in an erotic rhythm. It was too dark to make out features, just a sea of skin and dark clothing. Sweat glistened on their young, beautiful bodies, which grinded together magnetically. It was an ocean, a tide of dancers crammed into the warehouse turned night club, and they had yet to notice the arrival of two uninvited guests. It didn't exactly seem to Bella like the kind of place that one just casually strolled into. There was a dark, menacing aura to the entire crowd of people, and the way they moved together made her stomach churn a little bit. She tried to look away from them, embarrassed by the way women rubbed like cats in heat against their partners, the way the men wore cold, cruel, calculating smiles, but her eyes were drawn to them like magnets. Bella's dark brown eyes reflected the changing lights, and then turned upward as the warm hand released her own. Something inside of her seemed to snap and she became more aware of herself, as if she had been half asleep before and had just woken up. She looked up into the eyes of her protector and was met with a gaze of simmering liquid gold.

She had seen those eyes before. Eyes like that were unforgettable, thought Bella, swallowing hard as she looked into the handsome face of Edward Cullen. At age thirteen, Edward had been beautiful to her. Now the word beauty still defined him, but it was masculine, it was more mature, it was captivating. Mesmerizing. He stared back at her, and she felt as if he was trying to read her, as if he could see right down into her soul. She felt as if her whole heart and soul were open to this man, this man she had thought she'd never see again. She squirmed uneasily under the intensity of his gaze until he finally lowered his eyes. It seemed as if he had been lost deep in his thoughts and hadn't realized how intensely he had been staring at her just a moment earlier.

How many times had her thoughts wandered to the mysterious boy in the attic? How many times had she thought of those piercing golden eyes and wondered what thoughts lay behind them? Her mind flashed with the memory of venturing into the strange, fairytale house, of the beautiful mother and the strange, dark-eyed sister. Of her blood in the snow, of the broken shards of glass from the window, of the red note that he had left for her, that had said nothing more than 'thank you' yet had spoken volumes. Oceans of sentiment had been spoken in those two words. Years ago she had tried to save him from the torment of her cruel, thirteen year old peers, and now he had saved her from the malicious attempts of the three men in the dark ally.

She opened her mouth to say something, but she wasn't sure what. Her lips parted and no sound came out. She longed for the right words to say, but didn't know what they were. She could hardly think over the roar of the music and felt claustrophobic in the tight grind of bodies, even though she was standing at the periphery next to the door they had entered through. She looked questioningly at Edward, confused as to why he had been there at the exact moment she needed him, but grateful all the same. She wanted to tell him she knew who he was, that she could never repay him, but those words weren't right. With the volume of the music she could hardly think straight. Even if she had the perfect words to say, it was doubtful he would hear them in the strange place they had stumbled into.

The loud music of the song ended, and rather than blending into the next, a spotlight suddenly appeared that illuminated a man on a platform at the other end of the darkened, mysterious night club they had staggered into. Bella shielded her eyes against the bright white light that blinded her after the near-darkness, trying to see better and simultaneously blend in with the backdrop. She subconsciously drew in on herself, her shoulders slouching in as she tried uselessly to take up less space, to be less obtrusive than she was already. She felt ill at ease in the strange nightclub. She wanted to get out of there, but she feared her attackers would find her. Her brown eyes adjusted and the blurry silhouette sharpened into a visible image. The man in the spotlight wore a purple suit and reminded Bella of a court jester. His wide, joker smile was aimed right at her, and a cold feeling of dread washed over her.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said the jester, his voice reverberating through the sound system. "It seems we have guests!"All eyes turned on Bella and Edward- dark, glittering, hungry eyes, and suddenly the spotlight was on them. Bella shielded her eyes against the bright light, and Edward glared into the blinding luminescence, his mouth a firm frown. Bella could no longer see the people's faces, just their silhouettes. They were cast into shadow, but she could feel their eyes roaming her body and face as if she was an item at auction. Her stomach writhed with a pit of unease. There was something very, very wrong with this place, thought Bella, eyes darting all around.

The jester in the purple suit left his podium and the crowd cleared for him like he was Moses parting the waters as he crossed the room and came to stand before Bella and her rescuer. His long hair, the color of weak tea, was tied back at the nape of his neck, exaggerating his long neck and the oddly sinewy look of it.

"Welcome, friends…" he said with a wide, sardonic smile. "to The Midnight Carnival!"

The crowd cheered and Bella cowered. She didn't know what was going on anymore, she couldn't see the faces of the people staring at her, and everything felt like it was a part of some strange, unbelievable nightmare. Who were these people and what was this place? Did Edward know where they were? Had he taken her here on purpose? Or was he as taken aback as she was?

The jester strode between them and threw his arms around both their shoulders. He was extremely tall and skinny, like a human scarecrow, and his ashy brown hair stuck out at off ends around his smiling face. Bella didn't trust that smile for a minute.

"What brings you two to the Midnight Carnival?" he asked, grinning back and forth between them. His voice boomed, loud and clear enough for all to hear. Bella realized that she and Edward had unknowingly become a spectacle, and now they were both a part of the 'show'. Bella glanced anxiously up at Edward, too frozen to speak.

"We were just leaving," said Edward briskly, his voice gruff. There was an excited murmur from the crowd of writhing, half-clothed bodies, and it set Bella on pins and needles. She had never been in such a strange place in all her life. She felt as if she was in a dream, or maybe a nightmare. Her palms itched and she wanted suddenly to hide behind Edward, but her feet felt like they were glued to the floor. Her whole body was petrified in fright.

"Oh, no, no, no!" laughed the jester. "No one leaves the Midnight Carnival without first having a little fun…"

The man's long, thin arms were surprisingly strong and suddenly pushed Bella and Edward apart and toward the crowd, which swallowed them up and into the tide. The lights darkened to a vivid maroon that made everyone around her look like demons, and all of them pushed her further away from her savior, touching her, caressing her, stroking her long, brown hair as she was carried away. For a moment she saw Edward's golden eyes searching for her, but then the gap closed and he was out of sight.

The music began playing, and the people languidly slid against one another, against her, grinding and weaving their bodies hypnotically. A cup of something was pressed into her hand, and she tried to give it back, but the person was already gone, and there was nowhere to set the drink down.

"Such a pretty girl," said one man, handsome and fair-haired. "Why were you out there by yourself?"

She looked up into his eyes, and she felt like they should be blue, but the strange lights turned them violet. "I- I have to go." she murmured, and pressed herself between two dancing people to get away, spilling her drink all over them and herself. She didn't stop to apologize. She just knew she had to get out. Instead of parting for her and letting her pass through, the crowd tightened around her, corralling her in. A nervous dread began to wash over her as she failed repeatedly at trying to press through and between people.

One man's hand stroked through her long hair, lifting a lock of it to his nose so he could take a long waft. Bella spun around, eyes wide in shock and fear, her mouth a tight line that slashed across her face. Worry painted her expression, betraying the fear she felt and tried to keep hidden. It reached the surface though, clear for all to see. The man's hand caressed her cheek and she shuddered away, but the crowd was at her back, trapping her next to him.

"Mmm, this one smells like a virgin," he purred, his eyes devouring her as if she was some rare morsel. The erotic figures around her cocked their heads in interest, cruel smiles on their lips.

"Virgin…" sighed another, growing excited. More took notice and Bella slumped further in on herself, tightly closing her eyes and wishing she had a pair of ruby slippers to click together. Maybe this was all some terrible dream, her mind said, and she fervently hoped that it was.

"Virgin," the crowd began to murmur in excited whispers that gradually grew louder and louder.

Her eyes stayed tightly shut, refusing to see, and she began whisper to herself. "This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real." she repeated over and over again, her lips moving rapidly even though the sound was hardly audible. And in one great lurch, she felt her feet leave the ground.

Her eyes snapped open, looking around wildly and then looking down and realizing she had been hoisted above the crowd, carried along by the human torrent of hands high above their heads. She fought against them, kicking and twisting and trying to get away, but it was useless. She never stood a chance. Hands grabbed at her and pushed her further toward a mysterious destination, and suddenly she found herself on the raised platform next to the jester once more, staring wide eyed at the crowd below, searching for a pair of golden orbs to comfort her, but he was gone, or at least invisible to her.

The jester's long, wiry fingers wrapped around her shoulders and he towered thinly over her. "Dear friends, dear friends!" he called, getting everyone's full attention. "A true treat! The Midnight Club has just received a _sacrifice!_" he called out, and the crowd rippled and jostled in anticipation, muttering darkly to each other. Bella's stomach felt as if it had dropped out and she mentally tried to leave her body. Whatever was about to happen to her, she didn't think she wanted to be there for it. It was time to try and clock out.

"Who will have this beautiful, virginal Midnight Princess?" asked the jester, presenting Bella as if she were cattle. She shuddered, a tear slipping out from her tightly shut eyes. The crowd roared in approval, the voices mixing together and becoming warped, but all with a single goal: getting a piece of her. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides and her palms felt slick with sweat. She felt like the little mouse cornered by the cat, with nowhere to run but right into it's claws. She suddenly wished that she had taken her chances with the men who had assaulted her in the ally. They had reeked of booze and sweat and piss, but these new people, with their beautiful, cruel faces and twisting bodies, scared her even more.

"She's mine!" called one clear voice from the crowd. The other's hushed, turning to face the blonde haired man that had spoken. "Bring her to me."

"James, haven't you had enough?" asked another man, his voice deep and gentle, yet not one that Bella felt willing to trust. There was something about the amused tone in which he spoke that made her feel sure this man was a true threat to her. He was dark skinned, and his gleaming white teeth glowed in the darkness, full, dark lips parting in a sardonic smile.

"This one's… special," said the blonde haired one- James, they had called him. He smiled at her cryptically and she shuddered under the intensity of his gaze. The woman hanging onto his arm glared hatefully at Bella, her pale eyes narrowed, her red lips down turned in an ugly scowl that marred her whole, beautiful face. There was a dangerousness to her the likes of which Bella had only ever recognized in animals; the red haired woman had claimed the blonde haired man, and she saw Bella as encroaching on her territory. Bella wished more than anything that she could find her voice and tell the woman who stared at her like she was a disgusting insect that she didn't want James, or whoever he was. Not at all. She only wanted to leave, nothing more. The Jester's thin, strong hand yanked her roughly off the podium and the music resumed with a new intensity as the lights darkened. People all around her danced and grinded, giving one another dark, suggestive glances, licking their lips, grinding their hips. It was obscene and embarrassing, and Bella had never seen anything like it before. She tore her eyes away from a couple on the dance floor. The man's hands had been all over his partners breasts. Her hand had been massaging over the crotch of his pants. Bella felt slightly sick. People weren't supposed to do that sort of thing in public, she thought, cheeks turning red. That sort of thing was supposed to be private.

Strong hands steered her, and she was too confused and disoriented to raise protest, even though she had no idea where she was being taken. She was beyond the point of arguing with these people who wouldn't listen to her. They were stronger than her and she was severely out numbered. Her only hope was to play along until the right opportunity came along. She could only hope for a little chance, perhaps an opportunity to outsmart them and get away. Her eyes flickered to the door they had come through across the nightclub. It felt so far away, with so many people between her and it. These people were too content to play with her; they'd never let her just walk out. She needed to find Edward; maybe he would know what to do.

Where was he?

She didn't even know what to think of the person who had saved her- or at least had tried to. To Bella, it felt only like they had jumped out of the pot and into the fire. But he had tried, and he had gotten her away from three very dangerous men. She was curious about the boy she hadn't seen in years. He was all grown up, and seemed very different from the silent thirteen year old she had once looked for in the window of the attic every day. He was handsome, with pale, luminous skin and the same hypnotic golden eyes. She could get lost in those eyes, she realized. She'd have to be very mindful of herself around him… That was, if she ever saw him again.

Bella was led into a different room. This one was smaller and more intimate, with dark brocade walls and dark, plush carpet. People milled about and lounged on the seating that lined the room. The music was a dull thud. Sitting on the far end of the room was the beautiful, fair-haired man who had staked a claim at her. Beside him was the dark-skinned man with the white smile and the languorous voice. On his other side was the beautiful, sneering female. Her deep red curls framed a pale face. In the middle, James smiled welcomingly, but his eyes sent an unintentional warning. Nothing about him felt right to Bella.

"Come, sit with us." purred James, gesturing to a chair in front of the trio. Bella was pushed down into the chair with a thump, and she quickly righted herself, glancing nervously around her. The other people in the dark room had stopped to stare at them curiously.

"Tell me, how did you manage to find the Midnight Carnival on your own? We don't often have uninvited guests." said James, leaning back into the sofa on which he lounged, lazily crossing his arms across his well defined chest.

Bella swallowed, wondering what she should say. Was it better to go with the truth, or should she lie? She'd never been a very good liar- they'd probably see right through her. She nervously bit her lower lip and felt the pressure of their gaze. She realized they were still waiting for her response, and she was taking an inappropriate amount of time.

"I just… sort of wandered in." she said lamely. The dark skinned man laughed at her answer.

"What's so funny, Laurent?" snapped the crimson haired woman testily. Her jaw was clenched and her posture was rigid.

"She is so _innocent_." laughed the man, amusement sparkling in his eyes. "She is telling the truth."

"How does one just _wander _into the Midnight Carnival?" spat Victoria. "We're in an abandoned ally. She shouldn't have even known it was here."

All three looked curiously at her then, as if awaiting her explanation. Bella gulped. She suddenly wished very much that Edward was there, even though she didn't really know him. She was worried about where they had taken him off to. Was he okay?

"I, um, was in Port Angelus…. Um, with my… with my boyfriend." she supplied slowly, surprised by her own answer. They looked at her skeptically and she soldiered on, not quite sure where her lie was leading her. "Yeah, I was with my boyfriend. Edward."

She mentally cursed herself, wondering why she was saying all the things she was saying. She didn't want to admit her powerlessness to them though. "And we just wanted a place to…"

Her mind drew an absolute blank. A place to do what? She racked her mind, knowing the moment was drawing out uncomfortably. There was an awkward silence while they waited with frowns for her to continue, then she heard James chuckle.

"Ah, young love." he laughed. "Well, you've chosen quite the location to practice your amours."

"An accident?" asked Victoria, mouth tight. "You wandered in here on _accident _looking for a place to snog your boyfriend?" She sounded irritated. Bella nodded mutely, flushing bright red.

"Do you know what this place is?" asked James. His voice was almost a purr, and as Bella looked at him she was again reminded of a cat hungrily eyeing a little mouse or perhaps a bowl of milk. The way he eyed her made her uncomfortable, and she fidgeted uneasily in her seat.

"N-" she began, her voice catching. She cleared her throat and started over, blushing. "No. I don't. Like I said, we didn't mean to come here. We didn't mean to intrude. We can just leave." she said, trying not to sound so pathetically hopeful but not being able to help the helpless waiver to her voice.

The three glanced between each other and Laurent leaned forward, reaching for her hand before she had the chance to pull it away. His grip was firm and his hand was hot and dry. He looked her in the eye, smiling serenely. A shiver of dread and anticipation ran through her body the way a strong wind runs through a field of dry grasses, affecting first her hunched shoulders and carrying all the way through her frame.

"You, my dear, have just stumbled into a vampire night club."

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**_Author's Note: Whew! Chapter four, finished. Yay! Every comment and review is very much appreciated._**

**_Also, to the other writers on this site: when you upload a document, does it run all of your paragraphs together? I'm uploading using Microsoft Works Word Processor (I know, it's a bit outdated) and every time I upload my documents, they become jumbled together and I have to go through and fix all the paragraphs. Does anyone else have that problem?_**


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